Local and Foreign Company Registration in Kenya

Dennykins and associates, provides persons and groups with the chance to register their local and foreign company in Kenya. In most cases, foreign and local company registration services can be hectic, but this should never be a worry anymore. You are in the right place;

we take pride in providing clients with local and foreign company registration in Kenya.

What Is a Foreign Company?

A foreign entity is a company registered in a foreign jurisdiction.

Therefore, seeking to register such a company in Kenya equates to seeking a compliance certificate to conduct business within the Kenyan’s jurisdiction. Registration of a foreign company gives the foreign entity a chance to keep its original legal status, identity, and structure as in the foreign jurisdiction in Kenya and to get legal status to locally trade in the Kenyan economy.

What Is a Local Company?

A local company is a type of moderate size company, organization, business, or enterprise situated in a local area of a country that provides services, products, commodities, or goods.

Local entities are an essential element of any local economy.

How To Register Foreign Company in Kenya

Here at dennykins and associates, we legally process foreign and local business registration. It is vital to comprehend all the legal requires to ensure compliance with the authorities. This is a critical aspect that cannot be ignored. As such, it is important that you entrust the process with a legally authorized tax agent, dennykins and associates.

Requirements To Register a Foreign Company in Kenya

To register a local and foreign company requires one to have a set of documentation.

The following are the requirements one Must have to register a foreign company in Kenya:

1. Certified scanned copy of certificate of incorporation of the company from the country of registration.
2. Certified scanned copy of the Articles and Memorandums of Association of the entity – if these are in a foreign language, ensure that they are translated and the translated copy certified.
3. Physical location or registered office in the country of origin – house or plot number, road name, city, and county.
4. Physical location or registered office of the division in Kenya – building name, physical location, number of the plot, name of the road, city, and county.
5. Names of the shareholders or directors and the share structure.
6. The shareholders and directors contact information- provide their email address, postal address, telephone numbers, and residential address.
7. Scanned copies of the passport photo and passport bio information of the shareholders or directors.

Procedure For Foreign Company Registration in Kenya

Every successful venture is done in a procedural manner. Therefore, it is vital to have order to allow for easy following up of each step. Below is a simple procedure that assists in the registration process:

1. Name reservation – this is a crucial procedure as it gives room to verify whether the proposed name of the foreign company is available for registration in Kenya.
2. Forms execution – this is where the required forms are executed, they include F236, F237, F238
3. Local representative appointment
4. Registration and issue of certificate of incorporation
5. Application of company PIN

Forms Needed for Foreign Company Registration in Kenya

Proper documentation is vital when it comes to company registration. You might be wondering, which forms are required for foreign company registration? Below are the forms one need to register a foreign company in Kenya:

• Form 236/ F236 – this form contains the list of documents submitted for registration by the entity incorporated outside Kenya.
• Form 237 / F237 – this form entails the particulars and list of the secretary and directors of the foreign entity incorporated outside Kenya.
• Form 238 / F238 – this form contains the addresses and names of the persons resident in Kenya having the authority to receive service on behalf of the foreign entity.
• Form 250 / F250 – this form contains a notice of location of registered office or an entity incorporated outside Kenya.

Appointment of a Local Representative of a Foreign Company in Kenya

It is recommended to have a local representative to help in the registration process. The following are some of the requirements for the local representative:

• Full names of the local representative
• Copy of the PIN certificate and national ID of the local representative
• Scanned passport photo of the local representative
• Contact data of the local representative – telephone number, email, post address
• Residential address of the local representative

Once the certified documents, prescribed forms have been presented and the registration fee paid, the application is processed and then issuance of the certificate of compliance for all success applications.

How To Register Local Company in Kenya

To start any business in Kenya, one is required to register the entity with the Kenya Registrar of Companies. Also, you must register with the Kenya Revenue Authority to obtain a PIN number to enable tax return.

The following are the types of companies you can register in Kenya:

1. Sole proprietorship/business name – this is the simplest form of business one can register in Kenya. Sole proprietorship is where an individual and the entity are one and the same.
2. Partnership – to register a partnership in Kenya, it is a requirement to have at most 20 members. In a partnership, each director has equal liability to the entity.
3. Private limited company – in this state, the directors or shareholders are considered separate entities to the organization.
4. Company limited by guarantee – this is an entity registered as a nonprofit company.
5. Public limited company- this is a business that gives room for the public to transfer, or buy shares.

Besides offering local and foreign company registration in Kenya, we also provide post-registration services to all our clients. We, dennykins and associates, have a team of experienced and professional tax experts to help with accounting advisory and a wide range of tax services. Reach out to us and have a certified professional walk with you as you register your company. Prepared by CPA Mutitu Dennis